Cyber-Harassment, Cyber-Bullying and Poisoned Online Environment
Introduction: The evolution of internet and IT technology has made cyber-spaces more diverse and accessible to everyone. Now, at the age of web2.0, everyone can post their thoughts, opinions, and feelings on personal blogs, or any other websites. This evolution has brought phenomenal changes to communication form and online environment. However, it also brought numbers of serious social issues along with benefits. Cyber-bullying, cyber-harassment, cyber-stalking, and many other internet related offences and crimes are increasing in today’s web society. Since most internet web pages are operated anonymously, which means that users do not reveal their real identity on the web, it encourages more netizens to post hateful, harmful, and negative comments or materials on the web pages. The effect of internet related offences includes intimidation, emotional damages, and also can lead to suicide of individual. Also, large corporations can be affected by cyber-harassment, as in form of loss of revenue, threatened earnings, and defamation. As these problems from poisoned online environment are escalating in today’s society, some law-makers are creating legislation against cyber-harassment and other internet related offences in many countries. However, regardless of these law-makers’ efforts, damages and negative effect from cyber-harassment is increasing and remain as serious social issue that today’s netizens have to overcome.
Definition: Cyber-bullying
Cyber-bullying is when someone repeatedly makes fun of another person online or repeatedly picks on another person through emails or text messages, or uses online forums and postings online intended to harm, damage, humiliate or isolate another person that they don’t like (Corwin Press, 2009). Cyber-bullies can quickly and aggressively spread false rumors, threats, or embarrassing photos through internet postings, emails, and instant messages. Anonymity plays critical role; since it is much easier and guiltless to harass someone on cyberspaces when bullies’ identities are hidden behind false screen names. The problem can not only occurs in form of targeting specific individuals but also can occur in form which it offends specific group of people or general public. This can be happen in form of posting comment on the website using foul languages, and hateful messages. Cyber-harassment and internet violence not only damage and negatively impact specific individuals, but also can plant false value and information on both youth groups and adults.
Cyber-stalking (Cyber-harassment)
Cyber-stalking is defined as the use of information and communications technology, particularly the Internet, by an individual or group of individuals, to harass another individual, group of individuals, or organization. The behavior includes false accusations, monitoring, the transmission of threats, identity theft, damage to data or equipment, the solicitation of minors of r sexual purposes, and gathering information for harassment purposes.
Statistical Analysis
According to the book published by cyber-bullying researchers Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin, instances of cyber-bullying have been increasing over the last several years. Among random sample of approximately 2000 middle-school students, about 10% of respondents had been cyber-bullied in the previous 30 days while over 17% reported being cyber-bullied at least once in their lifetime. Hiduja and Patchin pointed out that older youth use the Internet more frequently and therefore, older youth experience more cyber-bullying than younger children. This escalating trend of cyber-bullying is the result of increasing accessibility to internet by both teenagers and adults. In September 2006, ABC News reported on a survey prepared by I-Safe.Org. This 2004 survey of 1,500 students between grades 4-8 reported: - 42% of kids have been bullied while online. One in four have had it happen more than once. - 35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly one in five had had it happen more than once. - 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than four out of ten say it has happened more than once. - 58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them online. A 2006 survey by Harris Interactive reported: - 43% of U.S. teens having experienced some form of cyber-bullying in the past year. Similarly, a Canadian study found: - 23% of middle-schoolers surveyed had been bullied by e-mail - 35% in chat rooms - 41% by text messages on their cell phones - Fully 41% did not know the identity of the perpetrators.
Key incidents of internet related offences Death of Korean celebrities:
On October 2, 2008, most famous Korean actress, Choi Jin-Shil was found dead in her apartment in Seoul, South Korea. Before her death, rumors circulated in the Korean press, saying that Choi was somehow involved in Ahn Jae-Hwan’s (Korean actor who committed suicide in summer 2008, due to huge amount of debt) death. The rumor specifically attacked Choi, saying that she was directly involved in Ahn’s financial relation. The rumor started from the female employee of financial company, and turned out to be false information. However, remorseless attack from some ignorant Korean netizens and negative comments posted on her personal web blogs gave Choi huge amount of stress, which resulted in death of famous Korean actress. Other than this, numbers of Korean celebrities chose to commit suicide because of negative comments and postings on the web pages, which brought down their reputation and damaged personal life. Korea, which has the number one diffusion rate of internet access to all citizens, faces serious problems of poisoned online environment, which resulting from internet violence to cyber-harassment. The anonymity is the key factor that causes the formation of poisoned online environment in Korea. Any people with internet access, regardless of age, and gender, can post any materials on the internet without revealing their true identity. Unlike other countries, Korea’s online environment is facing serious problems from ‘Ak-pul’, which means ‘Bad reply’ or ‘Bad comments’. Numbers of internet users post negative and hateful comments under specific articles, and web blogs, which negatively impact individuals’ feelings and reputations. After Choi’s death, law-makers of Korea created legislation against internet related offences to prevent further damages to individuals and society.
Death of Megan Meier
Megan Taylor Meier committed suicide in October 2006, after the cyber-harassment which received from 16-year-old boy Josh Evans. Meier and Evans became close friends after Meier opened up her MySpace account. However, on October 2006, Evans attitude turned 180 degree and started to post negative comments on websites, and sent hurtful messages to Meier. In the end, Meier who could not overcome emotional stress from cyber-harassment chose to commit suicide and 13-year-old girl ended her life. However, Josh Evans turned out to be a fake person, and the real identity of Josh Evans was Lori Drew, who was the mother of former friend of Meir. Lori Drew approached to Meier in order to gather information about her daughter. The death of Megan Meier became huge issue on U.S., and numbers of law-makers attempted to create legislation against cyber-harassment.
Cyber-Harassment, Cyber-Bullying and Poisoned Online Environment
Introduction:
The evolution of internet and IT technology has made cyber-spaces more diverse and accessible to everyone. Now, at the age of web2.0, everyone can post their thoughts, opinions, and feelings on personal blogs, or any other websites. This evolution has brought phenomenal changes to communication form and online environment. However, it also brought numbers of serious social issues along with benefits. Cyber-bullying, cyber-harassment, cyber-stalking, and many other internet related offences and crimes are increasing in today’s web society. Since most internet web pages are operated anonymously, which means that users do not reveal their real identity on the web, it encourages more netizens to post hateful, harmful, and negative comments or materials on the web pages. The effect of internet related offences includes intimidation, emotional damages, and also can lead to suicide of individual. Also, large corporations can be affected by cyber-harassment, as in form of loss of revenue, threatened earnings, and defamation. As these problems from poisoned online environment are escalating in today’s society, some law-makers are creating legislation against cyber-harassment and other internet related offences in many countries. However, regardless of these law-makers’ efforts, damages and negative effect from cyber-harassment is increasing and remain as serious social issue that today’s netizens have to overcome.
Definition:
Cyber-bullying
Cyber-bullying is when someone repeatedly makes fun of another person online or repeatedly picks on another person through emails or text messages, or uses online forums and postings online intended to harm, damage, humiliate or isolate another person that they don’t like (Corwin Press, 2009). Cyber-bullies can quickly and aggressively spread false rumors, threats, or embarrassing photos through internet postings, emails, and instant messages. Anonymity plays critical role; since it is much easier and guiltless to harass someone on cyberspaces when bullies’ identities are hidden behind false screen names. The problem can not only occurs in form of targeting specific individuals but also can occur in form which it offends specific group of people or general public. This can be happen in form of posting comment on the website using foul languages, and hateful messages. Cyber-harassment and internet violence not only damage and negatively impact specific individuals, but also can plant false value and information on both youth groups and adults.
Cyber-stalking (Cyber-harassment)
Cyber-stalking is defined as the use of information and communications technology, particularly the Internet, by an individual or group of individuals, to harass another individual, group of individuals, or organization. The behavior includes false accusations, monitoring, the transmission of threats, identity theft, damage to data or equipment, the solicitation of minors of r sexual purposes, and gathering information for harassment purposes.
Statistical Analysis
According to the book published by cyber-bullying researchers Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin, instances of cyber-bullying have been increasing over the last several years. Among random sample of approximately 2000 middle-school students, about 10% of respondents had been cyber-bullied in the previous 30 days while over 17% reported being cyber-bullied at least once in their lifetime. Hiduja and Patchin pointed out that older youth use the Internet more frequently and therefore, older youth experience more cyber-bullying than younger children. This escalating trend of cyber-bullying is the result of increasing accessibility to internet by both teenagers and adults.
In September 2006, ABC News reported on a survey prepared by I-Safe.Org. This 2004 survey of 1,500 students between grades 4-8 reported:
- 42% of kids have been bullied while online. One in four have had it happen more than once.
- 35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly one in five had had it happen more than once.
- 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than four out of ten say it has happened more than once.
- 58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them online.
A 2006 survey by Harris Interactive reported:
- 43% of U.S. teens having experienced some form of cyber-bullying in the past year.
Similarly, a Canadian study found:
- 23% of middle-schoolers surveyed had been bullied by e-mail
- 35% in chat rooms
- 41% by text messages on their cell phones
- Fully 41% did not know the identity of the perpetrators.
Key incidents of internet related offences
Death of Korean celebrities:
On October 2, 2008, most famous Korean actress, Choi Jin-Shil was found dead in her apartment in Seoul, South Korea. Before her death, rumors circulated in the Korean press, saying that Choi was somehow involved in Ahn Jae-Hwan’s (Korean actor who committed suicide in summer 2008, due to huge amount of debt) death. The rumor specifically attacked Choi, saying that she was directly involved in Ahn’s financial relation. The rumor started from the female employee of financial company, and turned out to be false information. However, remorseless attack from some ignorant Korean netizens and negative comments posted on her personal web blogs gave Choi huge amount of stress, which resulted in death of famous Korean actress. Other than this, numbers of Korean celebrities chose to commit suicide because of negative comments and postings on the web pages, which brought down their reputation and damaged personal life. Korea, which has the number one diffusion rate of internet access to all citizens, faces serious problems of poisoned online environment, which resulting from internet violence to cyber-harassment. The anonymity is the key factor that causes the formation of poisoned online environment in Korea. Any people with internet access, regardless of age, and gender, can post any materials on the internet without revealing their true identity. Unlike other countries, Korea’s online environment is facing serious problems from ‘Ak-pul’, which means ‘Bad reply’ or ‘Bad comments’. Numbers of internet users post negative and hateful comments under specific articles, and web blogs, which negatively impact individuals’ feelings and reputations. After Choi’s death, law-makers of Korea created legislation against internet related offences to prevent further damages to individuals and society.
Death of Megan Meier
Megan Taylor Meier committed suicide in October 2006, after the cyber-harassment which received from 16-year-old boy Josh Evans. Meier and Evans became close friends after Meier opened up her MySpace account. However, on October 2006, Evans attitude turned 180 degree and started to post negative comments on websites, and sent hurtful messages to Meier. In the end, Meier who could not overcome emotional stress from cyber-harassment chose to commit suicide and 13-year-old girl ended her life. However, Josh Evans turned out to be a fake person, and the real identity of Josh Evans was Lori Drew, who was the mother of former friend of Meir. Lori Drew approached to Meier in order to gather information about her daughter. The death of Megan Meier became huge issue on U.S., and numbers of law-makers attempted to create legislation against cyber-harassment.
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Reference
- Parents: Cyber Bullying Led to Teen's Suicide - by ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Story?id=3882520
- Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying, by J.W. Patchin and S. Hinuja; Sage Publications, (Corwin Press, 2009)
- Hinduja, S.; Patchin, J. W. (2009). Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to cyberbullying. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. ISBN 1412966892
- Beating the cyberbullies; Targets of taunting need help turning the tables on tormentors, All Business, Cynthia G. Wagner, Sept 1, 2008 http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/software-services-applications-internet-social/11579506-1.html
- Miller, Christa. Cyber Harassment, Its forms and perpetrators, April 2006 by Officer.com http://www.officer.com/article/article.jsp?id=30373&siteSection=18
- Star actress Choi Jin-sil found dead at home in apparent suicide. yonhapnews.co.kr http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2008/10/02/62/0302000000AEN20081002007400315F.HTML
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